Things certainly are starting to heat up at Comic Con. Today concluded with the panel for Luke Cage. Moderated by Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb, the panel started out as a showcase for the upcoming debut of the third Marvel/Netflix collaboration but eventually ended up giving us a look at the next two series, Iron Fist and The Defenders. But, all of it began with the surprise appearance of the breakout star of Daredevil's second season, Jon Bernthal.

THE PUNISHER

After showing a sizzle reel of the events of Daredevil's first two seasons and Jessica Jones' freshman run intertwined with new footage from Luke Cage, we saw a quick glimpse of The Punisher and his iconic logo. As Jeph Loeb sang the praises of the Marvel's collaborations with Netflix, Jon Bernthal strolled onto the stage to thunderous applause. Acting deadly serious, Bernthal demanded that Loeb play the trailer again and we were treated to another look at the footage. The best part was a quick shot of Luke Cage getting punched in the face which resulted in the assailant's hand getting crushed in slow motion. Very exciting look at these great series.

Loeb asked Bernthal about taking on the role of Frank Castle to which the actor said this: "{C}Frank is in my bones now. He is alwayswith me. Makes me want to squeeze my kids harder." Bernthal then had high praise for Luke Cage before quickly heading out (his appearance was a last minute addition as Bernthal was in town shooting a film).

The Punisher standalone series does not currently have a release date. But, along with this news came the reveal that Netflix has greenlit a third season of Daredevil. That season does not have a premiere date, but I would not expect to see it until 2018.

LUKE CAGE

Loeb then began introducing the cast and showrunner of Luke Cage. Starting with showrunner Cheo Coker, we were treated to appearances by Frank Whaley, Theo Rossi, Simone Missick, Mahershala Ali, Alfre Woodard, and series star Mike Colter. Rosario Dawson was not in attendance despite appearing in the teaser as she was busy filming an unnamed Netflix/Marvel series but we all know that it is Iron Fist. In speaking with the cast and crew, a lot of details about the Luke Cage series were revealed along with four clips from the show. In the clips, we got to see an extended look at the scene attached to the season two finale of Daredevil along with a first look at Alfre Woodard as Mariah Dillard, Missick as fan favorite Misty Knight, and Mahershala Ali as Cottonmouth. Ali's scene featuring a portrait of Biggie Smalls was especially memorable thanks to some amazing cinematography involving a crown. Trust me, this show is going to be really good.

Cheo Coker said the show has a fun, 90s vibe but is also very contemporary. He said that he grew up idolizing Luke Cage as the rare African American superhero but feels that "the world is ready for a bulletproof black man". Frank Whaley was excited to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was treated to the entire crowd singing Happy Birthday to him. Alfre Woodard also had powerful words about the show.

When I picked this up it was one of the smartest pieces of writing I have come across. The script has got to be there. That is a tribute to Cheo's concept, his vision. It was set in a place that I love and we all have numbers on the call sheet, but Harlem deserves one as well. Everything that has made Harlem through the decades is there.

Cheo Coker also compared Luke Cage to an album and said binge watching is the modern equivalent of listening to a vinyl record. Each of the thirteen episodes of the first season is titled after a Gang Starr song and Coker explained how vital music is to the series by saying this show is "the Wu-tangification of the Marvel Universe. [Luke Cage has] ot attitude, got flavor, got a grip but is elegant at the same time." Mike Colter praised the show as well and said that the series is first and foremost a drama but also has a lot of romance and treats for fanboys and new viewers alike.

Emmy nominee Mahershala Ali spoke about his role as Cottonmouth.

It was a really exciting experience to sit down and read this first script. I could hear the character and that is always a good sign. I could tell he had depth and was complicated and in his own way well intended. But he went about things in a way that is different from the common person including myself. It was an amazing journey.

Sons of Anarchy fan favorite Theo Rossi donned Loeb's sunglasses like his character Shades and had this to say about playing a character whose eyes are almost never seen.

It is crazy because when this first came up you thought wow, acting with sunglasses on the whole time, how do you do that? My research was Daredevil because he was wearing glasses an kind of never looking at anybody. You feel this world in so many different ways and the glasses just make him shady in all ways.

Because of the worldwide release platform of these series, Jeph Loeb promised that the four clips we watched were treats for us at Comic Con, but the first look at the teaser for Luke Cage would be shared after it debuted for us in the hall. The teaser can be seen below and it gives a great look at how the music will tie into this show.

Luke Cage debuts on Netflix on September 30th.

IRON FIST

After the Luke Cage cast departed, Joe Quesada and Jeph Loeb tried to play a joke on us, but a miscommunication with the technical crew resulted in the treat being spoiled early. We got a brief first look at Finn Jones on the set of Iron Fist which was then followed by the first teaser for the in production series. That teaser has also been released and can be seen below. As you can tell, there is not a lot to see just yet, but there is clearly going to be a big Eastern influence on the show. The logo reveal was given which sent the room into applause. Everyone is very excited for this show and it looks like Marvel has struck the right tone with the material.

Iron Fist debuts in 2017.

THE DEFENDERS

After all of that big news, Jeph Loeb returned one more time to tell us that Iron Fist will complete the team that they have been building towards this whole time: The Defenders. While we have yet to know who the heroes will be going up against or even if they plan to incorporate the characters into INFINITY WAR in 2018, there is a lot planned for this big crossover event. The teaser, also embedded below, plays against Nirvana's "Come As You Are" and teases elements from each of the series to date, including Scott Glenn as Stick. Whether he will play a part in what is to come remains unknown, but this is definitely a tease that got everyone in the room shouting with excitement.

The Defenders event series will debut in 2017 after Iron Fist.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This was an excellent panel presentation that definitely delivered for the fans. The cast and crew of Luke Cage have certainly proven that this show is going to continue the high caliber of both Daredevil and Jessica Jones while giving us something slightly unique. The musical side of the show really is intriguing while making this a show about a character versus too much focus on his ethnicity. Iron Fist and The Defenders definitely raised the bar as far as teasers are concerned and set the bar high for what is shaping up to be a pretty significant couple of years for Marvel and Netflix.